Brewers PTBNL – Here Is One Possibility

Yesterday’s trade wasn’t really about the two players to be named later.

It was about the fact this team needed to get away from the $17.5 million contract that Francisco Rodriguez would likely earn if he stayed in New Yorkmuch longer.

I understand the people who want a closer to be with this team until we know for sure where the Mets stand. Truthfully though, paying a declining closer more money than your current starting pitching staff plus half of your starting lineup is just not the best way to build a team.

The longer the Mets waited, the more likely they’d get less in return or the option would vest. Remember, the deal only made sense if a team could keep K-Rod happy by giving him closing chances (Melvin says they will), but also avoid the vested option. Not many teams qualify for that, and the more games he finished in NY the less likely he’d be traded.

That paired with the fact the NY Times reported issues with K-Rod’s contract may have been the reason for the quick move,

“The contract Rodriguez signed with the Mets before the 2009 season includes a limited no-trade clause, meaning he could list 10 teams to which he could veto a deal. But according to two baseball officials with direct knowledge of the situation, Rodriguez’s previous agent, Paul Kinzer, never submitted the list of 10 teams.

The Mets thought that once Boras assumed representation, he would scrutinize Rodriguez’s contract and either try to submit a list or perhaps file a grievance that might allow him to do so.”

Yesterday on WFAN, Sandy Alderson was on to discuss the move with Evan & Joe. The most interesting piece of that conversation to me was Alderson’s mentioning quickly that some of the players on the PTBNL list are closer to ready now, and one of them in particular has had some success at the big league level.

Now, the players can not be on the active roster. According to MLB rules, you cannot trade a player to be named later within your own league if he’s on the active roster.

You’re not going to get a top prospect here. It’s very unlikely. But when you have a list of 5 or so players, I’d imagine you have that list to find the best fit for your club. To me, the Mets need middle relief help.

My first guess is that it’s reliever Mike McClendon. McClendon was a 10th round pick in 2006. He’s 6’5, 225 lbs and throws right handed.

McClendon, 26, has often been the odd man out when it comes to the big league roster, and it’s mostly been because of options. In 2010, McClendon appeared in 17 games, he threw 21 innings, allowed 15 hits, and 7 earned runs. In those 21 innings, he struck out 21 and allowed 7 walks.

For McClendon’s minor league career he has appeared in 179 games with 467.2 innings of work. In those 6 years of minor league ball, he has allowed 482 hits, struck out 327 batters and walked 101 with an ERA of 3.46. He’s also a two time minor league All-Star, most recently last season.

Sure, he’s not flashy. However, based on Alderson’s little clue yesterday, and the fact the Mets badly need to start developing bullpen arms rather than signing a slew of 1 year deals. I’m saying McClendon is one of the players on the list, and if he is, I expect he’ll be one of the players brought over in the deal.

Michael Branda grew up a Mets fan watching the mid 1980's teams and his favorite Met of all-time is (and was) Wally Backman. When it comes to sabermetrics versus old school thinking, he's in the middle and believes adopting new ways to get answers is helpful, especially when the old way has not produced results.